A game of fate
Author's pov-
Divya's fingers tightened around the chit, her pulse quickening. Of all people, it had to be purv.
She stole a glance at him. He stood up from his seat with an air of indifference, his hands tucked into the pockets of his black suit. His sharp gaze flickered toward her for a fleeting second before he strolled towards the centre of the hall, where the pairs were supposed to gather.
Kaashi elbowed her tightly. "Looks like destiny's playing matchmaker," she teased.
"Shut up," Divya muttered under her breath, forcing her legs to move toward him. The moment she reached, she felt the weight of charvi's stare burning into her skin. The girl sat at their table, arms crossed, lips pressed into a thin line.
Divya gulped. Great.
"Alright, pairs!" The host's voice boomed. "The first game is simple. You'll be playing The stare down! You and your partner will stand face to face, and whoever looks away first loses. Easy, right?"
Divya internally groaned. Of all the games, it had to be this one? With purv?
She hesitantly turned toward him. He was already standing in position, his expression unreadable. His dark eyes held a cold, almost lazy amusement, as if this was nothing more than a waste of his time.
"Let's get this over with," he murmured, tilting his head slightly.
Divya straightened her spine. If he thought she'd intimidated, he was wrong. Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze as the countdown began.
"Three... Two... One... START!"
The moment the game begin, Divya regretted everything.
Looking into purv's eyes felt like staring into a bottomless abyss. There was something hauntingly deep about them, as if he carried a storm within him. Yet, at the same time, they were impossibly distant-like no one had ever truly read him.
Seconds ticked by.
Her breath hitched.
The background noise blurred, the cheers and laughter of other pairs fading into nothing. She could see the subtle twitch of his jaw, the flicker of something unreadable in his expression.
Was it amusement? Annoyance?
Or was he just waiting for her to break first?
Divya swallowed. No. She wouldn't.
But then purv did something unexpected. He smirked.
A slow, knowing smirk that sent a jolt through her veins.
Damn him.
Her resolve wavered for just a second, and before she knew it, her gaze flickered to the side.
"Ah-ha! Purv Rathore wins!" The host announced.
Divya blinked, realizing what just happened. "What?"
Purv let out a quite chuckle, shaking his head. "You're bad at this," he murmured before stepping back, as if the entire game was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Divya's face heated.
Kaashi, ofcourse, found it hilarious, laughing from the sidelines. "Damn, Divya. He didn't even try!"
Charvi, on the other hand, looked smug, flipping her hair as if purv's win somehow proved her importance in his life.
Divya let out a frustrated sigh. Great. Now she looked like a fool.
She glanced at purv one last time. He wasn't even looking at her anymore. He had already moved on, his attention elsewhere, as if she was nothing more than a passing moment.
Somehow, that irritated her even more.
But one thing was certain-this wasn't the last time their paths would cross.